Shadow puppetry, bamboo handicrafts protected

Chunhua shadow puppetry and Qingshan bamboo weaving, two forms of traditional art from Changsha county, have been named municipal-level intangible cultural heritage items.

Shadow puppetry, also known as shadow play, is an ancient form of storytelling said to be over 2,000 years old. Flat cut-out figures (shadow puppets) are used to represent characters and are held between a source of light and a translucent screen or scrim. It was once one of the most widespread art forms in China thanks to its simplicity, portability, and attractive aesthetic.

Hu Lizhong, a fifth-generation inheritor of the art, is renowned for his sophisticated puppetry skills and lifelike puppets which are able to emulate human emotions. His grandfather, Hu Bingqiu, began shadow playing near Changsha as early as 1913, during the second year of the Republic of China (1912-1949). Like his ancestors, Hu Lizhong engages in puppetry, singing, playing musical instruments and storytelling after dark. Hu's own personality bleeds into his art in everything from aesthetics to music.

A shadow puppetry performance in Chunhua town, Changsha county is among the sixth series of municipal-level intangible heritage items. [Photo by Zhang Di/Xingsha Times]

Also recognized were the unique bamboo weaving skills passed down for generations in many rural families in Qingshanpu Town, Changsha county. Bamboo weaving is not only a source of income for people in the town, but also a highly sophisticated form of art and winner of international awards.

Bamboo weaving is meticulous work. Weavers have to be skilled at 13 different processes, including cutting, sawing, knitting, weaving, and polishing, as bamboo strips must have a uniform thickness throughout, according to art inheritor Yang Luichun. A woven mat made of bamboo strips should feel smooth, cool and comfortable.

According to Changsha City Memorabilia, a Qingshanpu bamboo mat for sleeping in summer was displayed at the Panama Pacific International Exposition in 1915 and took home some honorary awards.

Currently, Changsha county has three provincial, seven municipal, and 10 county-level intangible cultural heritage items.